When Snakes Fly
by INzaneTJ
Summary: What happens when Serpentine are outside your door? Will you hide under your covers? Will you scream for help? Will you fight like a ninja? An adventure during Darkness Shall Rise. Rated K Plus for ninja weapons. No gore for once!
1. When Snakes Fly

**A/N: This story was originally for the Ninjago writing contest but it closed right before I could post it. Anyway, I'm finally writing something more Ninjago like instead of spereate stories. How long has it been since I wrote for this Fandom? Here's to adventure and humor! :)**

 **Zane Girlfriend**

When Snakes Fly

Zane pulled his white sheet over his head, eyes shut in deep concentration. He'd definitely heard something. Straining his advanced hearing he only made out the soft breaths of his fellow ninja asleep in their beds.

Nothing.

His lids slid up to reveal icy, blue eyes roving back and forth, scanning the bedroom of the Bounty. Zane smiled. After the battle with the Great Devourer, things had been quiet and peaceful—at least as peaceful as it could be living with Jay.

 _Creak_! Thump. Thump.

Something tapped lightly against the wooden floorboards in the hallway. Next to him, Lloyd started to mumble and sit up. Zane clamped a hand over his brother's mouth and shook his head. Lloyd's green eyes widened and he clutched the sides of the bedpost, but he suddenly froze.

The soft thumping ceased just outside the door. Then resumed farther down the hallway before it was joined by a low, venomous hiss. Distinct. It was unmistakably that of a Serpentine. Zane threw his sheet off and slipped out of bed; then silently crept toward the door.

Lloyd was at his heels, blond hair hanging in front of his contorted face as he breathed from his mouth. His sweaty hands clenched into fists.

The Bounty remained still as the noises gradually faded, replaced by a lingering tension. Zane headed for Jay's bunk while he pulled his Shurikens from underneath the bed. Lloyd grabbed his arm, pulling him close and whispered in his ear.

"Don't wake the others up. They need their sleep. Let's just get the intruders and kick them out."

Zane hesitated for a brief second before nodding. Heart pounding out of his chest, Lloyd stepped into the dark hallway right in front of a dark shape two meters tall. Before he could react, something hard and scaly smacked into his cheek. _Crunch_. His head snapped to the side but the adrenaline coursing through him prevented him from feeling anything.

Zane zipped past him in a blur of white and silver.

With his advanced sight he made out two Fangpyre holding machetes three feet away. He drew back and released both Shuriken at their heads. The first knocked it away with his blade.

It clattered to the floor as the second ducked low and dove at Zane.

The ice ninja threw a punch, driving his whole body forward. His metal knuckles connected with bone. A muffled scream came from behind. He whipped around to face a Constrictai pressing a black-handled knife against Lloyd's throat. Lightning flashed outside, illuminating the deadly, silver blade barely touching his brother's soft flesh.

"Get on the ground," the snake hissed through his fangs. His crushing tail coiled all the way around Lloyd's waist and arms and squeezed tightly.

"Let him go," Zane said calmly. "What do you want?"

"Get down, now."

One of the Fangpyres kicked him from behind, forcing him to both knees. Zane put his hands against the back of his head. He locks eyes with Lloyd, unsure what to do. If he does anything, will the dim-witted Serpentine actually hurt him?

"What do you want?" he repeats.

The three intruders hiss similar to sinister chuckles. "We—"

The door jerked open and smacked into the Constrictai's head. Lloyd seized the opportunity, slamming an elbow back into his captor's gut and snatching the knife from the snake's cold fingers. He jumped forward as the tail uncoils from his body.

Jay exited the room with a hand running through a pile of messy, auburn hair. "What're you guys doing?"

Zane and Lloyd nodded. They whipped into their elemental tornados and spun right for the three fleeing snakes, leaving behind a sleepy, confused lightning ninja.

The Constrictai reached the deck first and climbed onto the ledge. The first Fangpyre was overtaken into a tornado of ice that stung like a dozen needles. Zane hurled himself forward, kicking the snake's back as both dropped to the hard wood.

He landed, knee pinning the Fangpyre down.

A hiss directly ahead snatched his attention.

Lloyd was clambering onto the ledge where the two Serpentine crouched low. The white and red snake opened his mouth to display two fangs dripping with venom and a tongue flickering out.

The orange and black snake behind it was looking up at something above he couldn't see.

Wind whipped through Lloyd's hair as he lunged for the nearest assailant, arms out for a tackle. Zane scanned the deck.

In a split second the Fangpyre bit down on something too hard to be flesh. It vibrated. Lloyd re-directed himself at the last moment and landed a punch square in the snake's eye. He shrieked and tumbled off the ledge.

Then Zane saw it. Through the ashen clouds covering the dark sky, Garmadon hovered above them with the golden Mega Weapon in hand.

He laughed maniacally as Lloyd attempted to tackle the remaining Constrictai. The snake whipped its tail around the ninja's leg and then sent a series of rapid blows to his face. Zane left the Fangpyre, bolting for Lloyd.

Before he could reach him, the Constrictai received a knee in his stomach and a fist on his jaw. With a grunt Lloyd shoved him off the edge.

"Dad?" he yelled over the Bounty's engines and the shrill wind.

Zane pulled up short to watch the evil lord disappear back into the clouds. "I see your security is down tonight. Another time, ninja. Another time!"

"Wait!" Lloyd reached out too quickly. His feet slipped out from under him and he tumbled off the ledge. Zane latched onto his brother's forearm, gripping him using every ounce of strength he had. "Great catch."

The ice ninja hauled him back up onto the deck just in time to see the last snake jump off the Bounty.

They stood there for a moment in silence watching where Garmadon had just been. Only the wind and Lloyd's breaths were audible. Occasionally he touched the swelled bruises from where he'd been hit but they weren't too bad.

Nothing was broken at least. Eventually, the younger ventured to ask, "What'd you throw in the Fangpyre's mouth?"

Zane patted his arm lightly. "Kai's toothbrush."


	2. What Toothbrush?

**A/N: Thank you so much everyone for reviewing/favoriting/following! :) This was supposed to be a one-shot, but it should have a little resolution at the end, so here goes! An extra chapter just for you!**

 **Enjoy!**

What Toothbrush?

 **The Next Morning…**

Lloyd woke up to a pillow smothering his face. He swatted at it and Jay smacked him with it again. "Sleepy head. Do you know what time it is? Sensei's gonna be—"

The door swung open to reveal an old man stroking a neatly combed beard. "Good morning! Morning! Morning! Up, up! It's a new day, students! Before we begin sunrise exercise, Lloyd and Zane, get up. We all need to talk."

The green ninja groggily rubbed his eyes, and got off the bed. He stifled a yawn. Boy, last night drained him worse than usual. Sensei nodded toward a prone form on one of the bottom bunks. With a loud sigh, Lloyd threw Zane's sheets off and shook his cold arm. Sunlight filtered through the window, falling onto white pajamas and a serious yet peaceful face. "Get up," he said and then whispered in Zane's ear, "Sensei wants you."

"That I do," Wu added as the other three ninja made their beds.

Zane woke. Lloyd somehow found himself standing next to him on the Bounty's wooden deck. Sensei brows creased, hand clenched around his staff. Grim. Erect. He nodded to each of them in turn and then pointed to the ocean. "Go get it."

"Get what?" Lloyd asked.

"Yeah, what're you talking about?" Jay said, cocking his head.

"The toothbrush."

"What toothbrush?"

Zane and Lloyd exchanged nervous glances and then peeked at Kai. The fire ninja's brown eyes bulged out of their sockets. "I think I dropped mine somewhere last night. It was missing this morning. You're not saying it's in the water." Sensei snorted.

"He he, about that…" Lloyd started, staring at Kai. He didn't like how this was turning out. "We'll, we…"

"Threw it across the deck," Zane finished.

Kai's head snapped left to face them, exasperated. "You _what_?" the others exclaimed.

Zane spoke up first, "Three Serpentine invaded last night. It was the only potential weapon at our disposal at the time."

"And we almost fell off the boat."

Kai pushed Zane toward the port side frantically. "Well don't just stand there! Get it! That thing's no ordinary toothbrush."

"It isn't?" Lloyd asked.

"Negative. I analyzed it," Zane responded, "It contains various metal properties, including t—"

"Don't. That's supposed to be a secret, Zane!" Kai hissed through gritted teeth. He shoved the Nindroid over the railing while the group watched, completely confused. Lloyd sidled next to him in time to see Zane's head submerge beneath the water.

"Uh, what just happened?"

"What?" Kai looked up, apparently flustered by something. "Huh, nothing. Nothing. He's just gonna go swim for a while."

"But you said—"

"Let's train. Shall we?"

Lloyd mouthed to Sensei, _what was that?_ Wu just chuckled and began the lesson without Zane.


End file.
